The Nebo Nibble Ride…
Yeah, I know, I sort of gave this one away in advance, didn't I? In another post and set of replies, a mini ride/picnic thingy evolved, and I got caught up in the excitement like I often do. I wasn't sure if I'd ever met Burple05 (Ron Beaty) before, but he chimed in with some solid suggestions for expanding the enjoyment of my visit to the "Natural State', and... You know how it can be.
My enthusiasm took a giant leap when Valker (Eric West) also joined the discussion and later decided to join us! Man, that thing was taking on a life of its own, and... Well, that's part of the magic that can pop up out of nowhere and delight us with a totally unexpected ride and experience. Dang, I'm so proud to be here!!!
Even my good Canadian friend in Calgary, AB, joined the chat and added how he'd love to be with us, but... A bit of a serious ride indeed for tman403 (Terry Nickel) and his mate (Lynda)... They will be missed for sure, but you can bet their story and the tale of our meeting will be shared in flattering detail! Hint: It was another totally unexpected happenstance that turned into a life-changing encounter...
We settled upon a tentative plan of meeting up top on Mount Nebo at the state park's welcome center at noon that upcoming Saturday. I was to bring the brisket sammiches, Ron the drinks, and Eric his celebrity self. That plan actually came to pass! Not at all like so many I've made, altered, or abandoned in the past... Most of y’all are familiar with my precarious relationship with traditional planning, right…?
Anyway, the appointed time arrived. I made the call to order our grub, then made the ride over to Fat Daddy’s BBQ joint… Following a brief case of sticker shock, I paid the tab, loaded the warm cargo aboard our girl, then headed for the rendezvous location…
I was hoping to at least be close to on time. There were some turns to find and successfully make, and there is never any guarantee that I’ll consistently find my way directly to anywhere… Unexpectedly, I actually did ride straight there, though…
Just as we entered the park but still a short ride from the welcome center, there is a very nice overlook. A gazebo at the end of an elevated wooden walkway out to the edge of a cliff, which affords a fantastic view of the valley and Arkansas River below. A most positive assurance that Ron had indeed put us onto something special!
In the parking area for that overlook were half a dozen bikes of various makes, but only one Valkyrie. ‘Holding court’ with dazzled listeners wide-eyed and totally spellbound was Valker with his easy-going, mild-mannered way of spinning captivating yarns… mesmerizing his appreciative audience. I wondered if our ranks might have swollen already?! Nope… Just some friendly riders passing a pleasant bit of time together.
Soon enough Eric released those riders from their hypnotic trance, and they rode on leaving Eric and this usually lone rider to reacquaint. We did jaw a short while, then we also departed from that very scenic location to go in search of the welcome center and our other picnic companion. We arrived without incident, parked, and dismounted, then found a shady spot to continue gazing at the beautiful sights… and jawing profusely, as we both are prone to do.
The bug assassin and the Valker
Ron soon joined us, and once again I wondered if our ranks might be growing… With him were two other riders he knew. They weren’t there to join our party, however, as they were going on to join other riders for some Mexican food in Dardanelle. Just as well, even though they both seemed to be good guys and would have been quite welcome, our modest supply of BBQ brisket would have been strained to go all around.
Our group size was reduced back to the original three, we divvied-up the sandwiches, chips, and drinks, then proceeded to enjoy some first-rate BBQ! Man, it had been a wee bit pricy, I’d thought, but given the times we’re in, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised… Whatever, the ‘Q’ and sauce were plenty good to this geezer’s tastebuds and palate, and my companions both agreed!
Ron was full of suggestions for rides in any direction from there. We settled on one, and all I had to do was keep up and follow. No navigational skills required, so Eric and I were in! Naturally I don’t know where all we went or how far we rode, but I do know it was scenic all along those nice, twisty but not overly challenging roads, and a good time was had by all… nearly. Later in the afternoon, Eric and I were nearing the time geezers like to sit out on the porch and ‘big dog it’. The more youthful Ron wanted to ride on until nearly dark. We split up.
Ron had done a fabulous job of leading us around some gorgeous mountain roads, finding suitable stopping points, and taking us to a gas station in another timely stop. I hadn’t met him before after all, but I’m mighty glad I did this time! He’s a great ride leader and an even better rider. He’s also darned good company for chewing the fat!!! Thanks, Ron…
Eric and this older rider drop-out co-conspirator found the Airbnb I’d rented, and we did indeed take our place on the front porch for what comes so naturally to folks past the seventy-yard line of life… We later visited Stoby’s Restaurant for some evening vittles… I had a cheeseburger while secretly channeling my two burger quest pals, MitchO and RNFWP. Life, riding, dining out, and hanging out with friends are all among the top things that make life so very grand!!!
DDT (12)
P.S. Before the ride, I’d visited the photo site that I use for posting pics, and some weird pop-up screens kept appearing… I am hyper wary of those, as I simply cannot afford to lose my remaining nest-egg to hackers! The short answer to this is that not knowing if I’d be able to use them, I didn’t take nearly as many pics as I would have absent any fear of cyber criminals… No apology here, just an explanation...
